Roving frame lifting spindle



Aug. 11, 1959 -a. c. ANDERSON ETAL 2,398,729

ROVING FRAME LIFTING SPINDLE Filed Feb. 10, 1958 I s Shets-Sheet 1 Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Feb. 10, 1958 G. C. ANDERSON ET AL ROVING FRAME LIFTING SPINDLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11, 9 ca. c. ANDERSON ETAL 2,898,729

ROVING FRAME I.|:.|:F".TII1G SPINDLE Filed Feb. 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States atent Office 2,898,729 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 ROVING FRAME LIFTING SPINDLE Gordon C. Anderson, Biddeford, and David B. Hopkinson, Kennebunk, Maine, assignors t Saco-Lowell Shops, Biddeford, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application February 10, 1958, Serial No. 714,395 6 Claims. (Cl. 57-95) This invention relates to textile roving frames and the like and more particularly to a novel self-contained traversing spindle mechanism therefor.

The conventional textile roving frame included a multiplicity of bobbins and cooperating fiyers which were arranged to wind roving received from a drafting element onto a bobbin carried by the bolster and wind it thereon at a constant lineal speed. In order to accomplish this result, the fiyers were all mounted on the roving frame and each was driven at a constant, rotational speed while the bobbins were all mounted on a reciprocating bolster rail for traversing movement along the axes of the fiyers while simultaneously being driven at a decreasing rotational speed in order to maintain a constant speed difference between the peripheral surface of the roving package as it was wound up on the bobbin and the fiyer presser foot. A common mechanism, long known in the art and including a builder and its cooperating drives, was provided for driving all of the bobbins and fiyers and for reciprocating the bolster rails.

The above described mechanisms have been in use for decades. Although they are generally satisfactory for conventional sized roving packages rotating at conventional speeds, they have proved diflicult to improve in order to take advantage of the present trend toward the use of increasingly larger packages in order to decrease costs, as well as the use of the higher speeds presently available as a result of recent improvements in drafting elements, this being mostly because of the limitations imposed by the necessary traversing of the bolster carrying rail while driving the bobbins. This latter made it impossible to provide a bearing support at the bottom of the fiyer, and also required removal of a flyer in order to doff a bobbin. Furthermore, the mechanism itself, particularly the traversing mechanism, due to its long shafts and mechanisms positioned along the frame, was clumsy and difficult accurately to reverse, to lubricate, and to keep clean, which added to the expense of its operation and limited the quality of roving which could be made on such frames.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a roving frame or the like of improved construction having a plurality of novel spindle mechanisms in which the necessary traversing function is carried out within each individual mechanism, thereby enabling the traversing bolster rail of the conventional frame and its operating mechanism to be eliminated.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the spindle structure so provided enables a bearing support to be provided at the bottom of the fiyer. This permits the construction of larger packages at higher speeds than had heretofore been possible, yet with an improvement in quality.

It is another feature of the spindle structure of the invention that removal of the flyer is not required in order to doff a bobbin.

It is yet another feature of the invention that the structure of the invention makes possible the provision of a textile roving frame or the like much easier to lubricate and keep clean, since all drive mechanisms not within the spindle itself may be assembled at one end of a roving frame. Also, the long reversing shafts, subject to torsional deflection, are eliminated and precise reversal is provided. These features make possible an improvement in roving quality at a reduced cost.

Various other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view, in partial section, of a traversing spindle mechanism according to this invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are cross sections taken along the lines 2--2, 33 and 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section of the spindle of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View of mechanism for driving one or more spindle mechanisms as shown in Fig. 1.

Roving frames according to the present invention, like frames heretofore known, have a multiplicity of spindleflyer mechanisms, all of such mechanisms being driven by a common drive as hereinafter more: fully explained. Each of the traversing spindle-fiyer mechanisms of the present invention, however, as shown in Figs. l-S, includes a flyer 10 having a presser foot plate 12, said flyer with its plate being mounted for rotation about a coaxial bobbin 1'4 removably carried on spindle 31. Preferably, flyer 10 has two arms as shown, although a single arm structure wherein the arm not carrying the presser foot plate 12 is eliminated may be utilized with suitable counterweighting. The bobbin 14 is also rotatable and, in addition, is traversible axially relative to the presser plate 12 and fiyer 10 so that said plate and fiyer revolve in a vertically fixed position as the bobbin 14 revolves and is traversed axially thereof. In this manner roving, which is led through the eye of the presser plate 12, may be Wound upon the bobbin in a predetermined manner.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the spindle-fiyer mechanisms of the present invention are mounted on a casing 36 extending along the front of the roving frame in an aligned row and in cooperating relationship with other elements of said roving frame. Driving shafts 44, 46 and 48, extending for the entire length of the roving frame, as well as individual spindle-flyer driving gears to produce the rotating and traversing movements of the mechanisms are housed within the casing 36 where they will be protected from accumulations of lint and fly, as well as to provide a cleaner running frame. As hereinafter more fully explained, the flyer 10 is rotatably driven by gears 16 and 18 through its driving member 28 and the bobbin 14 through its spindle 31 is rotatably driven by gears 2i] and 22 through its tubular bolster shaft St), the traversing means of the mechanism being operated, also as hereinafter more fully explained, by an alternating relative speed diiference provided between the spindle shaft 31 and a central shaft 33 driven by gears 24 and 26. The mechanism as a whole is positioned and supported by the casing 36 at points in its bottom wall 38 and its upper wall 40 while the upper end of the flyer is supported from other roving frame elements by means of bar 42. Thus adequate alignment and rigidity are assured. Shafts 44, 46 and 48 are arranged within casing 36 so that shaft 44 drives all gears corresponding to gear 16, shaft 46 drives those gears corresponding to gear 20 and shaft 48 drives those gears corresponding to gear 24.

In brief, the traversing spindle-flyer mechanism has four coaxial driving shafts or members, with the outermost being the cylindrical flyer driving member 28 mounted for rotation in casing upper wall 40. Within said member 28 are mounted a pair of spaced coaxial driving shafts, outer tubular bolster shaft 30 and central shaft 33, with a tubular spindle driving member, made up of a nut 34 having securely mounted thereon so as to prevent relative rotation, as by brazing them together, a tubular spindle shaft 31, interposed therebetween, For simultaneously rotating and reciprocating shaft 31 with its bobbin 14, removably carried at the upper end thereof, axially extending axial driving means are provided on spaced shafts 30 and 33, which means cooperates with similar means on nut 34 and its tubular shaft 31. As shown, such driving means comprises a screw thread 50 extending along central shaft 33 providing a helical driving surface cooperating with that of internally threaded nut 3.4, and an axially extending splined driving surface or groove 35 extending along the exterior of spindle shaft 31 cooperating with that of internally splined driving surface or key 32 on bolster shaft 30.

More specifically, the flyer 10 and its associated structure 56 is attached to its driving member 28 by means of .pins 58 and 60, saidhub being supported from the top wall 40 of the casing 36 by means of bearing 62. The inner race of this bearing is held in place against the member 28 by means of ring 64 and the outer race is pressed into a ring 66 that is attached to-the top wall 40. Bearing 62 also positions bolster shaft 30 which provides the rotary motion of the bobbin 14 by means of a bearing insert 67, the lower end of said shaft being positioned by a bearing 68 between said shaft and central shaft 33. Thus the outer race of bearing 68 is pressed in a recess in the lower end of shaft 30 and maintained in place by a ring 70 and its inner race is pressed onto shaft 33 and positioned against the shoulder formed by the thread termination thereon. The hub 72 of the driving gear 26 for the central shaft 33 is attached to the lower end of said shaft by means of key 74, said hub also functioning as a positioning device between bearing 68 and bearing 76 which supports shaft 33 at its lower end. Thus, the inner race of bearing 76 is pressed on the lower end of shaft 33 and against hub 72 and is maintained in place by nut 78. The outer race of bearing 76 is pressed into the supporting structure 80 associated with the lower plate 38 and is maintained in place by ring 82. A protective cap 84 provides sealing protection for the lower end of the bobbin mechanism.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the spindle driving member includes the nut 34 interposed between shafts 30 and 33 and spindle shaft 31 carried thereby, said nut serving to align and support shaft 31 within shaft 30. The central shaft 33 is provided with axial driving means, such as a square thread 50, for example, suitable for driving the coacting nut 34 axially therealong to provide the required reciprocating movement, while sliding spindle shaft 31 is mounted for sliding movement relatively to, but in rotation with shaft 30 by means of splines 32 and 35, said spindle shaft 31 being secured to said nut to prevent relative rotation. The hollow surrounding bobbin 14 is removably secured to the top spindle shaft 31 by means of cap 52 (Fig. 1). An aligning bushing 54 is utilized at the top of the central shaft 33 (Fig. to maintain accurate alignment of the said shaft 33 as it moves axially within spindle shaft 31.

Figure 2, a sectional view taken within the casing 36, illustrates the positional relationship of the driving shafts when the bobbin is at its uppermost position such that nut 34 is above the point at whichthe section is taken. The gear 18 and its associated hub 28 surround bolster shaft 30 which, in turn, surrounds the threaded shaft 33. Figure 3, a sectional view taken above the casing 36 and below the bobbin 14, illustrates the interrelation of the driving shafts at that point, shaft 30 surrounding shaft 31 and the top of the aligning bushing 54, visible at the center thereof. A section through the spindle is illustrated in Figure 4, the coaxial relationship of the bobbin 14, bolster shaft 30, spindle shaft 31 and the aligning bushing 54 is illustrated. Splines 32 and 35, through which bol- 4 ster shaft 30 drives spindle shaft 31 in rotation, are also shown.

For driving the three driven elements of the mechanism, three inputs are provided as set forth above. Thus, fiyer driving member 28 carries flyer gear 18 for driving it and the flyer structure. Bolster gear 22 is keyed to shaft 30 in a position below and clear of flyer member 28, said gear driving shaft 30 directly and also spindle shaft 31 and its bobbin 14 by means of splines 32 and 35. Differential gear 26 is attached to central shaft 33 at its lower end, which shaft coacts with nut 34 and sliding spindle shaft 31 to provide the traversing movement by reason of the relative alternating speed inputs applied to gears 22 and 26. The rotational inputs to these mechanisms are controlled by differential means which will be described in connection with Figure 6.

A somewhat simplified diagrammatic view of the operating mechanism of the roving frame built in accordance with the principles of this invention is shown in Figure 6. Substantial portions of this mechanism are well known in the art. With reference to Figure 6, the operating gears 18, 22 and 26 are shown in the upper left-hand corner. A main driving motor 86 or other suitable means is connected by the V belt or chain drive 88 to the main drive shaft 90. The fiyer 10 is rotated at a constant speedby the coaction of gears 16 and 18 which are driven from shaft 90 by a chain drive 92. The main drive shaft 90 also drives the ring gear 94 of a differential mechanism 96 of the planetary type through chain drive 98 and the top cone 100 of a variable speed drive through gear train 102. The drive shaft of the top cone is com nected by means of chain drive 103 to the conventional bottom drafting rolls 104. Thus both the top cone 100 and the bottom rolls 104 are driven at a constant speed. The top cone 100 drives its cooperating bottom cone 105 by means of belt 106, the position of which is controlled by belt retainer 107. The speed of the bottom cone 105 thus is variable and is dependent upon the location of the belt 106. This variable output speed is applied to the sun gear 108 of planetary 96. The resultant speed differential of ring gear 94 and sun gear 108 is transmitted through the planetary pinion 110 and its shaft 112 to the bolster rotating gear 22 through chain drive 114. In addition, this variable speed output of shaft 112 is applied to the ring gear 116 of a second differential 118 of the planetary type by means of chain drive 120. The sun gear 122 of planetary 118 is driven by means of gear train 124 and bevel gears 126 and 128 in a direction dependent upon which of the reversing pinions 130 and 132 are engaged by a bevel gear 134. Pinion 134 is driven by the output shaft of the bottom cone 105. Thus, a speed, which varies in accordance with the position of the belt on the bottom cone and changes in direction according to which of the reversing gears is being driven, is applied to the sun gear of planetary 118 and a speed proportional .to that of the bobbin rotation is applied to the ring gear of the planetary. The speed differential, as indicated by the output shaft attached to the planetary pinion 136 is applied by means of chain drive 138 to the transversing mechanism gears 24 and 26 through shaft 140.

Gear 26 (and shaft 33) is thus alternately rotated at different speeds, as produced by planetary 118, relatively to that of gear 22 (and shaft 30) at, say, a speed alternately faster and slower than that of shaft 30. The magnitude of the speed differential applied to the traversing of lifter mechanism decreases as the diameter of the wound roving increases such that a compact package of roving is assured. The relative rotation of gear 26 with respect to gear 22 is periodically reversed such that the nut 34 is caused to travel up and down the shaft 33. In other words, the speed of shaft 33 is equal to that of shaft 30 plus .or minus a speed as controlled by thebottom cone 105. In addition the length of traverse is gradually reduced to produce the conical ends of the roving package which are required for stability in handling.

These operations are provided by a conventional builder mechanism as illustrated at the bottom of Figure 6. The builder mechanism performs three functions: (1) It adjusts the bobbin speed to maintain a constant lineal speed of the roving as it is wound upon the bobbin; (2) it operates and reverses the lifter mechanism periodically such that the flyer lays roving on the bobbin in smooth, compact layers; and (3) it gradually reduces the length of the traverse produced by the lifter mechanism so that conical ends are formed upon the roving package.

The builder shaft 142 is driven by top cone 100 through bevel gear '144 and coacting gap gear 146. The gap gear 146 has two oppositely positioned gaps thereon such that the beveled gear 144 when in engagement with a tooth of the gap gear 146 will drive the shaft 142 to only onehalf the revolution. A starting pawl 148 is biased against one of two studs, 150, 152, oppositely positioned on collar 154 secured to shaft 142, by spring 156. The pressure of the starting pawl 148 tends to cause rotation of the shaft 142 such that a tooth of gap gear 146 is engaged by the bevel gear 144 to produce rotation of the shaft 142. However, the builder dog 158, also mounted on the builder shaft, has two oppositely extending arms 1'60 and 162, one of which is adapted to bear against the builder jaw mechanism 164 and, while an arm is in contact with the jaw mechanism, it prevents the rotation of the builder shaft. The builder jaw mechanism is reciprocated past the builder dog by means of rack gear 165 and pinion 166 which is driven by gears 167 and 168 from shaft 169, as controlled by the reversing gears 130, 132. When the builder dog arm in contact with the builder jaw mechanism clears the latter, rotation of shaft 142 is permitted and the starting pawl 148 rotates it sufliciently such that a tooth on gear 146 is engaged by bevel gear 144. The builder shaft then is rotated one-half revolution. The rotation of shaft 142 operates the reversing lever 170, one end of which is connected to the builder shaft 142 by means of eccentric 172 and the other end to the reversing gears at collar 174. The reversing lever is pivoted at an intermediate point 176 and thus as shaft 142 rotates, the reversing lever is pivoted, shifting the reversing gears 130 and 132 such that one is disengaged from pinion 134 and the other is engaged, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the sun gear 122 and changing the speed of shaft 140. This changes the speed of gear 26 (and shaft 33). Also, the direction of motion of the builder jaw mechanism, as actuated by rack gear 165, is reversed.

In addition, the rotation of builder shaft 142 moves the belt retainer 107 a short distance through the coaction of worm 178, worm gear 180 and rack 182 such that the belt 106 is shifted, decreasing the speed of revolution of the bottom cone 105. This operation decreases the rotational speed of the bobbin 14 and produces a comparable change in the rate of traversing motion.

The movement of rack 182 also rotates shaft 184 through coaction of rack gear 186 and pinion 188 which is attached to shaft 184 by means of a spline 190. The opposite end of shaft 184 is connected to the builder jaw mechanism 164 by means of portions 192 and 194 of opposite handed thread. As shaft 184 is rotated, the jaws 196 and 198 of the mechanism are moved towards one another such that the length of .traverse, as controlled by the spacing between the jaws is reduced, producing the desired conical end portions of the roving package.

When the speed changes as above described are applied to the shafts 33 and of the novel spindle-flyer mechanism of the invention, as well as a constant speed applied to the flyer driving members 28, the nut 34 will be caused to reciprocate in a manner 'which produces, as the bobbin is simultaneously rotated by shaft 30, the desired conical ended yarn package on bobbin 14.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a novel spindle mechanism as well as a novel drive mechanism therefor. Various modifications not herein shown, such as the reversal of driving elements, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

We claim: I

1. In a textile frame or the like, a traversing spindle mechanism comprising a pair of spaced coaxial driving shafts having axially extending axial driving means, an axially movable bobbin driving member coaxial with said shafts in driving engagement with said axial driving means for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation relatively to at least one of said shafts and means for driving said shafts at alternating relative differential speeds, said bobbin driving member being reciprocated axially relatively to said shafts by rotation of said shafts at said alternating relative differential speeds.

2. In a textile frame or the like, a traversing spindle mechanism comprising a pair of spaced coaxial driving shafts having axially extending axial driving means, an axially movable bobbin driving member coaxial with said shafts in driving engagement with said axial driving means for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation relatively to at least one of said shafts, and builder means for driving one of said shafts at alternating speeds greater and less than the speed of the other of said shafts, said builder means including driving means, differential means, and reversing means, said differential means driving one of said shafts and being driven by said driving means through said reversing means, said bobbin driving member being reciprocated axially relatively, to said shafts by rotation of said shafts at said alternating relative differential speeds.

3. In a textile roving frame or the like, a traversing spindle mechanism comprising a pair of spaced coaxial driving shafts having axially extending axial driving means including a helical driving surface on one of said shafts and an axially extending driving surface on the other of said shafts, an axially movable bobbin driving member including a helical driving surface cooperating with that of said one shaft and an axially extending driving surface cooperating with that of said other shaft, said member being interposed between said shafts in driving engagement with said axial driving surfaces for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation with said other of said shafts, and means for driving said shafts at alternating relative differential speeds, said bobbin driving member being driven in rotation by one of said shafts and being reciprocated axially relatively to said shafts by rotation of said shafts at said alternating relative differential speeds.

4. In a textile roving frame or the like, a traversing spindle-flyer mechanism comprising a cylindrical flyer driving member, a pair of spaced coaxial driving shafts mounted coaxially within said flyer driving member and having axially extending axial driving means including a screwthreaded driving surface on one of said shafts and an axially extending driving surface on the other of said shafts, an axially movable tubular bobbin driving member including a screw-threaded driving surface cooperating with that of said one shaft and an axially extending driving surface cooperating with that of said other shaft, said bobbin driving member being interposed between said shafts in driving engagement with said driving surfaces for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation with said other of said shafts and builder means for driving said flyer driving member at a constant speed, said other shaft at a decreasing speed to maintain a substantially constant speed difference between said flyer presser foot and the surface of a pack-age being built up by rotation of said spindle driving member, and said one shaft at alternating speeds greater and less than the speed of said other shaft, said builder means including flyer driving means, first and second differential means, ,variable speed drive' means and reversing means, said first differential means driving oneof said shafts and being driven by said flyer driving means directly and through said' variable speed drive means, and said second differential means driving the other'of said shafts and being driven by'said first differential' means and by said flyer driving means through said variable speed drive means and said reversing means, said bobbin driving member being driven in rotation by one of said shafts and being reciprocated axially relatively to said shafts by rotation of said shafts at said alternating relative differential speeds.

5. A traversing spindle mechanism comprising a pair of spacedjcoaxial driving shafts having axially extending axial driving means including a helical driving surface on one of said shafts and an axially extending dfiving surface on the other of said shafts, an axially movable bobbin driving member'including a helical driving surface'cooperatingwith that of said one shaft and an axially extending driving surface cooperating with that of said other shaft of said member being interposed between said shaftsintdriving engagement With said driving surfaces for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation with said other of said shafts upon the driving of said shafts at alternating relative differential speeds to drive said bobbin driving member in rotation by one of said shafts and in reciprocation axially'relatively to said shafts by rotation of said shaftsat said alternating relative differential speeds:

6. A traversingspindle-fiyer mechanism comprising: a cylindrical flyer driving member, apair" of spaced coaxial driving shafts mounted coaxial-1y within said flyer driving member and having axially extending axial driving means including a screw-threaded driving surface on one of saidshafts and an axially extending'di'iving surface on the other of said shafts, an axially movable tubular bobbin driving member including a screw-threaded driving surface cooperating with that of said one shaft andanaxi-ally extending driving surface cooperating with that of said other shaft, said bobbin driving member being interposed between said shafts in driving engagement with said axial driving surfaces for reciprocating axial movement relatively to said driving shafts and for rotation with said other of said shafts upon the driving of said shafts at alternating relative speeds to drive saidbobbin driving member, in rotation by one of said shafts and in reciprocation axially relatively to said shafts by rotation of said shafts at said alternating relative differential speeds.

References Cited in the file of this patent Janso et a1 Sept. 22, 1953' 

